Judge strikes out Tinted window charge

5500

One for all you tint haters:D

Taken from todays independent:

A JUDGE who threw out charges yesterday against a young man summonsed for driving a car with tinted windows said that the rich and famous drive around with similar blackened windows.

"It's cool to have these things on a car," Judge Tim Lucey told Nenagh District Court. "That's the whole point of it, really."

But last night there was a call for clear regulations on tinted car windows, which are increasingly popular among so-called boy racers, to be introduced as soon as possible.

"We can't comment on an individual case but it's obviously common sense that if the tinting on your window is such that it's obscuring your vision, then that's not safe," Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority said.

The motorist involved questioned why he was summonsed, given the huge number of cars on the roads with tinted windows.

Darren Killackey (21), of Boher Mhuire, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, was stopped by Garda Louis Moloney in Nenagh last October while driving his 1996 Mitsubishi Colt.

In court yesterday, Gda Moloney contended that the tinted windows hindered the defendant's proper view of the roadway.

Judge Lucey said this was not necessarily the case. "It depends on how dark the glass is or how deep the tint," he said.

Judge Lucey dismissed the charge, which had been brought under the Road Traffic Construction Equipment and Use of Vehicles Regulations 1963.

"You have all kinds of VIPs driving around with dark glass in stretch limos," the judge said. "Do they get prosecuted?"

However, he did fine Mr Killackey €100 for having a sun visor across the windscreen, which Gda Moloney said hindered the driver's view of the road.

Speaking last night, Mr Killackey said he was not happy with the case, despite having one of the charges thrown out.

"No, I didn't want to pulled by the guards at all," he said. "I felt hard done by. I suppose it could have been worse but they can't just be pulling in one lad here and there and not stopping all that have the tinted windows. Every second car in north Tipperary has them.

"I bought the car like that. It certainly wasn't affecting my vision."

The judge's decision brought a reaction from the Opposition parties.

"Whether it's cool or whether it's not, if you can't see out of it then you can't see out of it, and an independent source should be got to clarify that one," Fine Gael's transport spokesperson Shane McEntee said.

"At the end of the day there has to be clarity from some source. It's very hard to go against a judge but there should be clarity. There has to be an EU standard."

Labour transport spokesperson Roisin Shortall said: "That's the judge's own personal opinion, but there should be regulations in place, a clear guide in relation to this thing."

Jason O'Brien and Peter Gleeson

DarKev

They'll be banning you for wearing sun glasses while driving next!

peasant

There ARE EU Standards.

Glass in the windscreen and two front side windows can have no more than a 30% tint.

As most cars have that grade of tint already from the factory, any additional tint is therefore contravening EU vehicle safety laws.

Lord Nikon

I'll be tinting my windows. I'd like to have my privacy just like any other VIP.

KTdesigner

Yes only the rich and important should be allowed to do these sort of things, like buy the little things that common folk shouldnt be allowed to have (like tinted windows). Only politicians and rich people (who pay little or no tax) should be above the law, after all, they don't need to see out of the limo windows when they are getting the police escourt through common land. They never get to see the traffic jams or poor folk actually carrying things (by hand, piff). And lets create laws to stop poor people breeding, in fact, why not just exterminate most of the population now and make this a tax free land only for rich people. Or we could all just revolt and destroy the overlord oppressors. Hehe. And don't forget, it's your tax euros at work, politicians are elected by the people to serve the people (rich people that is).

prospect

It is the most stupid reason ever for throwing out a case. Just because the 'rich and famous' have them. They should be prosecuted aswell.
The front windscreen, the front door glass (both sides) and the rear screen should never be allowed to be tinted. As for the back seat passanger windows, they should be able to do what they like..

layke

Oh ffs,

"We can't comment on an individual case but it's obviously common sense that if the tinting on your window is such that it's obscuring your vision, then that's not safe," Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority said.

I have the lightest tint on my car's front windows (in fact I see many a cars coming out of factories with the same tint). If your stupid enough to put limo black tinting on your front windows yes, I suppose. Medium or light is absolutely fine.

The thing is, tinting is reflective on the outside so the car looks darker when viewing. The inside is some what different story, like a dark room with the lights off you can see out pretty clear.

I think this whole obscuring your vision is a load of crap made up by people who have never been in a car with tinted windows.

IMO the only reason cops have a problem with it is because they can't see into the car.

fletch

Anybody able to find the EU law/directive....all I can find is this link although it seems Ireland is not a part of the EU or isn't legislated for.

FX Meister

The only experience I have of driving with tints is a VW van and I found it a pain in the ass at night. Had to wind the windows down to get a clear view in the side mirrors.

prospect

layke wrote:

IMO the only reason cops have a problem with it is because they can't see into the car.

This is alot of the problem.
It was commented in relation to this story that the Gardai cant see if the driver is using a mobile phone, or even the age of the driver, "it could be a 12y.o. driving the car"

peasant

Can't remember the number of the directive (it's a mile long), but it's quite old.

Used to work in a place that made glass for vehicles ..the 30% tint is the max

layke

prospect wrote:

This is alot of the problem.
It was commented in relation to this story that the Gardai cant see if the driver is using a mobile phone, or even the age of the driver, "it could be a 12y.o. driving the car"

I can see the point your trying to make, but I don't think that justifies the guards in this situation. Every person I see with a mobile to their ear (and I see lots every day) never gets pulled, also 12 year olds driving cars... true enough but personally i've never seen it happen.

I have had guards pull up beside me and move forward enough for the passenger gaurd to look in my front windscreen (at night from the outside my car looks pitch black).

dermot_sheehan

layke wrote:

Oh ffs,



I have the lightest tint on my car's front windows (in fact I see many a cars coming out of factories with the same tint). If your stupid enough to put limo black tinting on your front windows yes, I suppose. Medium or light is absolutely fine.

The thing is, tinting is reflective on the outside so the car looks darker when viewing. The inside is some what different story, like a dark room with the lights off you can see out pretty clear.

I think this whole obscuring your vision is a load of crap made up by people who have never been in a car with tinted windows.

IMO the only reason cops have a problem with it is because they can't see into the car.

The problem is that other road users can't see in and see that you've seen them (if you get my drift). This is especially important at a junction.

In the UK I believe there are restrictions on the tint of the windscreen and the front passenger windows because of this. Any VIP in the rear can have their window tinted away.

layke

However, he did fine Mr Killackey €100 for having a sun visor across the windscreen, which Gda Moloney said hindered the driver's view of the road

WAIT WAIT WAIT.

I missed that bit, WTF loike? €100 for having a sun visor? Sorry but it may hinder your view of the sky, not the road.

Stupid, very very stupid.

Gab, in certain situations I would agree, however I wouldn't call it something I see on a regular basis.

prospect

layke wrote:

WAIT WAIT WAIT.

I missed that bit, WTF loike? €100 for having a sun visor? Sorry but it may hinder your view of the sky, not the road.

Stupid, very very stupid.

Gab, in certain situations I would agree, however I wouldn't call it something I see on a regular basis.

I think it was one of those big stickers telling the world what brand of radio he had in the car. And the idiot had it on the front windscreen....

layke

LOL.

I can't argue with that.

SouperComputer

I missed that bit, WTF loike? €100 for having a sun visor? Sorry but it may hinder your view of the sky, not the road.

Stupid because all of our roads are perfectly even and have no hills?


I hate dark tints. Not because of the driver of the actual car being able to see out (its not a problem for properly done jobs), but for other drivers not being able to see through the car. Maybe its just me, but I tend to look through the windows of other cars when driving. Especially at roundabouts.

Tobias Greeshman

I could be wrong here, but in Limousines that have their windows tinted, arent the windows in the driver cabin area, un-tinted or only lightly tinted. While the passenger cabin is almost fully tinted.

Anyway that judge is a moron, I've never seen a case thrown out for such a trivial reason.

maidhc

silas wrote:

Anyway that judge is a moron, I've never seen a case thrown out for such a trivial reason.

He threw out the case because there was no evidence of any wrongdoing or any law having been broken. The relevant statutory instrument does not specify any legal limits as to the tint permissable.

Seems reasonable to me!

Wossack

I always thought there was some max percentage figure for the tint, and that it was illegal to have any tint on the front windscreen at all :shrug:

lol at the article anyway, 1996 colt with tinted windows is definately a rich and famous poser mobile... :rolleyes: gotta laugh at the reasoning